Seminary, Newman get new rector, president

WCR FILE PHOTO

Fr. Stephen Hero has been named the new rector of St. Joseph Seminary.

May 14, 2012

RAMON GONZALEZ
WESTERN CATHOLIC REPORTER

The leadership of St. Joseph Seminary and Newman Theological College is changing hands. Edmonton Archbishop Richard Smith has appointed two seasoned priests as seminary rector and college president.

The appointments of Father Stephen Hero as seminary rector and Father Paul Terrio as Newman College president was announced May 8.

Both priests will replace Father Shayne Craig, who has been seminary rector for 10 years and college president for two. The appointments take effect June 15.

Craig is taking a sabbatical year, which he will spend in part on Vancouver Island helping to care for his elderly mother. He is expected to be back on the formation team after his sabbatical.

Craig said it's a good transition point for him. "I'm very happy. The seminary is going very well and the new buildings are going very well and the college is doing well."

Hero, 42, said he is "very humbled and honoured" by his appointment. "It's a big responsibility and I'm looking forward to it."

Hero has been part of the formation team at St. Joseph Seminary for seven years and loves the work.

"It's a really beautiful ministry helping the seminarians discern their vocation," he said in an interview.

Hero completed his seminary studies in Rome and did a licentiate in theology before his ordination in 2000. After a few years of ministry he was sent back to Rome to complete a licentiate in liturgical studies.

Since 2005 he has been part of the seminary's formation team as well as a teacher at Newman. At the seminary he has been director of liturgy and responsible for helping senior seminarians prepare for ordination following their internship.

Now, as seminary rector, Hero will lead the formation team.

WCR FILE PHOTO

Fr. Paul Terrio has been named president of Newman Theological College

Terrio, the current pastor at Holy Trinity Parish in Spruce Grove/Stony Plain, was happy about his appointment but at the same time surprised.

He has dual degrees in theology and philosophy but said he has spent a great part of his priesthood as pastor of various parishes.

Terrio, a priest for 42 years, began his priesthood as a pastoral associate in Montreal.

He has been pastor at Holy Trinity for 10 years and before that he was at the Villeneuve parish and missions for eight years.

He has also been back and forth at Newman College as a sessional lecturer in philosophy and was part of the seminary formation team when he arrived in Edmonton in 1994.

SEMINARY IN BRAZIL

In the 1980s he spent time in Brasilia, Brazil's capital, teaching at the seminary there. But as a member of the formation team there, he did weekend ministry in a parish.

"So really, pastoral work has always been part of my priestly life; now to be going into something that's different and is more administrative, it's going to be an adjustment," he said May 8.

Newman, he added, has an essential role to play in the new evangelization and he is happy to be at the helm of the institution at this time.

Terrio, 69, has a canonical licentiate from the University of Montreal and has degrees in theology and philosophy from the Gregorian University in Rome.

Two priests are expected to replace him at Holy Trinity but Terrio will continue in his role as director of vocations for the archdiocese.